HomeServe founder pours £110m in crusade to revive flailing British high street August 20, 2023 HomeServe founder Richard Harpin is injecting £110m of his own cash into medium-sized businesses, aiming to breathe life back into the UK’s beleaguered high streets. After cashing in on the sale of insurance company HomeServe to Brookfield last year for a cool £4.1bn, the home repairs mogul Harpin said he is trying to “help others [...]
M&S digital chief exits amid business boom August 20, 2023 The top dog behind Marks & Spencer’s digital growth is reportedly leaving the retailer just months after being promoted. Chief digital and technology officer Jeremy Pee, who landed the position in January, is understood to be leaving the business to return to Canada. According to a report in The Sunday Times, M&S’s co-chief executive officer [...]
Spike in UK car dealerships being snapped up as British firms go cheap August 20, 2023 UK car dealerships are increasingly being snapped up by overseas investors on the cheap amid a surge in dealmaking in the sector. There were around 20 overseas investments into UK dealer groups in the decade prior to 2019, while the three years post-Covid have already seen 10 transactions, with several set to be completed this [...]
FTSE 100 live: London slow as retail sales dip and China concerns weigh UK down August 18, 2023 The FTSE 100 continued Friday in sluggish fashion as UK retail sales fell almost double the amount expected. London’s premier blue-chip index dipped as much as 0.8 per cent in early trading, slouching at 7,251.32, 0.8 per cent down by midday. Nearing market close, it fluctuated between 0.8 and one per cent with largest caller [...]
Wilko: ‘Genuine grounds for hope’ over future of troubled retailer as possible buyers circle August 18, 2023 There are “genuine grounds for hope” over the future of stricken retailer Wilko after interest from potential suitors, the GMB union has said. The retailer tumbled into administration last week, putting the future of its 400 shops and 12,500 workers at risk. Administrators from PwC swiftly sought offers from potentially interested firms which could save [...]
July washout drags retail sales down 1.2 per cent as supermarkets and high street hit August 18, 2023 July’s awful weather dragged down UK retail sales by 1.2 per cent, as supermarkets suffered the most from the washout with Brits not splashing cash on food and clothes. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show retail sales volumes in July went down following a small rise of 0.6 in June, [...]
Lionesses shirt sales surge 700 per cent ahead of Women’s World Cup final August 17, 2023 The Lionesses’ success at the Women’s World Cup has seen sales on England shirts and other merchandise rocket by more than 700 per cent, new consumer data has revealed. Online sales soared by 710 per cent above average daily levels on Wednesday in the aftermath of England’s 3-1 semi-final victory over Australia, according to figures [...]
Birkenstock UK profits stumble as brand preps for £8bn IPO August 17, 2023 Birkenstock’s UK arm reported a drop in profits for the year but its sales continued to soar. The German business, whose stripped-back shoes are sometimes called ‘Jesus Sandals’, said total turnover reached £34m in the year ended September 2022 up from £23m in the same period the prior year. Full year retail revenues also more [...]
Aldi on the hunt for 1,700 new staff members as demand for value goods grow August 17, 2023 Aldi is looking to hire 1,700 more warehouse staff this year as the grocery discounter steams ahead with its UK expansion plans. The German value retailer is ramping up the number of full-time and part-time positions at its Regional Distribution Centres and employees will be offered salaries of up to £53,000 per year. Its hiring [...]
Wilko rumour mill: B&M shares up as takeover whispers gather volume August 15, 2023 Wilko has fallen into administration but rumours are flying that fellow discounters could be circling the stricken retailer